Wednesday, November 15, 2006

So long and Thanks for Rajma Keema

"Give Thanks" said Meeta and I wondered, and wondered...

Should I give Thanks for driving for almost an hour through the drizzle after work only to come home and start dinner when all I want is to be served hot chai while I cuddle up in the couch to watch some "Saas-Bahu" stuff. Should I give Thanks that if I want a hot "chai" I need to make it myself and just forget the pakoris because there's so much left to be done or should I give Thanks because my damned cable does not serve up any "Saas-Bahu" stuff and denies me the pleasure of rotting my mind.

I wondered & muttered and the rain dropped pitter-patter...

And then, my little one jumped all over me, wrapped her arms around me and hugged. I thanked for that, to have her to come home to, to watch her, to love her. And as I mixed the ground chicken, popped open the can of red rajma and chopped up the onions I thanked for being able to do this, to have a family to feed and care for, to have enough food to cook, to take pleasure in what I was doing. And then my husband suggested to adjust the AWB on the camera, set the exposure, and I clicked & he clicked. I thanked for having such a good friend in him who not only ate the rajma I served but was benevolent enough to help me take pictures which looked better than the dish :)

I thanked for being a WOMAN, for having the power to give birth, to work, to feed, to cook, to create & to blog...

Thanks to everyone out there living your life & helping others live theirs. Thanks Meeta for letting me be thankful.

And I went back and cooked my Rajma with Keema. This is not a Bengali dish but I try to make it the way my Ma used to make Keema Mattar which again does not have a Bong stamp to it. But a very hearty meal can be had of this combination, it satisfies with it’s quality & quantity, and there are different ways you can enjoy it.

You can have it with Rice, with Chapati, all by itself with some steamed veggies thrown in, if you make it dry use it as a stuffing for a wrap for lunch next day. I think this is the perfect dish to make if you are rushed and want to make something for dinner, next day lunch and a different dinner out of it on day 2.

What You NeedRajma or Red Kidney Beans ~ 1 can, it said 1lb 13oz. I used this from Goya. If you are not using canned you might have to go through the process of soaking & pressure cooking the rajma.

Ground Chicken (Keema) ~ 1 lb. I used this from Perdue Ground Chicken. You can use fresh if you get them.

For Masala:Garlic Clove ~ 1 clove choppedElaichi or Cardamom ~ 5Laung or Cloves ~ 5Darchini or Cinnamon stick ~ a small oneMaggi Hot & Sweet Tomato Ketchup ~ my all time fav or any other tangy sauceJeera or Cumin Powder ~ 1 tspDhania or Corriander Powder ~ 1tspI dry roast Cumin seeds, Dhania Seeds, Dried Red Chillies and then dry grind them and store that for this and many other cooking. You can do that when you have time.

Garam masala Powder ~ I make this and store it too, but whatever you have is fineRed Chilli Powder ~ your choiceSalt

How I Do ItMarinade the ground chicken with yogurt, 2 tsp of ginger paste, 2 tsp of garlic paste and little salt. Keep it aside for 2-3 hours. I often do it night before so it’s just ready to be cooked by evening.Make a paste of the onions. Quick Tip: I make a paste or chop onions when I have extra time. They stay in the fridge good for 3/4 daysHeat Oil in a Kadai /Frying PanCoarsely pound the Elaichi (Cardamom), Laung (Cloves) & Darchini (Cinnamon Sticks) and add it to the oilAdd the chopped garlic and the green chillies.As soon as you get the fragrant smell of garlic rising add the onions.Add a little sugar and fry them till they are light brown in color.Add the tomatoContinue light frying till oil separetes from the paste.Add the marinated Keema (ground Chicken)Continue cooking till the Keema changes color. Stir so that the keema transforms to a granulated mass. Since ground chicken here is machine processed, when raw, they are like a soft paste.Add the Cumin, Corriander & Red Chilli Powder. Mix well.Add about 2 tbsp of the Maggi Sauce (or any other). Actually I didn’t measure, I just poured till I got the tangy taste & color.Add the Rajma .Cook for some more time till the masala engulfs the Rajma as well as the KeemaAdd little water, salt, Garam masala Powder and cover and CookCook till Rajma is done. The Rajma I cook is not gravy based, it’s on the dry side, if you want gravy go ahead.Add a little Fajita Seasoning Mix or KitchenKing Masala if you feel the taste is lacking something. I do that.Garnish with Corriander leaves.If you want add chopped hard boiled eggs.

Enjoy hot spicy Rajma Keema any way you like.

Let me reiterate, I kind of cook by smell & taste & instinct so my measures stated might not be exact, feel free to innovate & deviate. I am trying to measure while cooking these days but on a busy day, nah-nah !!

This is my entry for Monthly Mingle at photographer cook Meeta's of What's For Lunch Honey. Her very interesting theme was Give Thanks. And as I eat my dinner I do just that.Happy ThanksGiving.

Note: For Vegans out there, instead of using keema you can substitute keema with ground soy granules as in Egg paratha with twist

Trivia:Red beans and rice is an emblematic dish of Louisiana Creole cuisine (not originally of Cajun cuisine), traditionally made on Mondays with red beans, vegetables (onion and celery), spices (thyme, cayenne pepper, and bay leaf), and pork bones left over from Sunday dinner, cooked together slowly in a pot and served over rice.From Wiki.

love that mixing of red beans with chicken ,Mexican dish with Indian twist is wonderful .thanks for sharing wonderful recipes too SandeeparegardsMantuhow is switching into Beta, works more better isn't ...

hi,my first time visit here, you have great blog here. thansk for recipes and good pics, this is good inspiration for newbie like me!if you have soemtime do visit my blog . i would like to have people like you around. thanks-Pooja

Hi Sandeepa,My first comment here. I don't know how I missed your blog all these days. I really like the way you write. My knowledge of Bengali food is limited to a few fish curries and some milk sweets. I look forward to seeing more Bengali recipes on your blog. Love the fact that you have trivia for all your posts!

Actually my mother always used to make chana keema (gorbanzo beans with ground meat) which turns out to be amazing!! As a variation you may also use inch pieces of meat with the chana! Ma makes it so well!!:D

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Predominantly a Bong, who loves being a Mom and loves to cook among other things for the li'l one and the big ones.She loves to write too and you will find her food spiced up with stories. Mainly a collection of Bengali Recipes with other kinds thrown in, in good measure. A Snapshot of Bengali Cuisine